Police today claimed to have foiled a bid to snatch weapons of CRPF jawans by some students during a clash with them in Banihal district of Jammu and Kashmir.

The incident occurred yesterday on the Jammu-Srinagar highway after an altercation between the students and the CRPF personnel when a vehicle carrying the former overtook the security force's convoy in which one of their vehicles was hit, they said.

To this a few CRPF jawans came down and thrash the errant driver and a student also got hit, a police officer said, adding the incident triggered protest by the students who subsequently blockaded the highway for some hours, disrupting traffic.

An argument broke out between some students and the CRPF men in a bid to rescue the driver, but the situation was defused and the convoy commenced it journey towards Jammu, he said.

Later, several students came on the highway stopping the traffic and clashed with the para-force, the officer said, adding some even tried to snatch the weapons of some CRPF jawans, turning the situation grim.

As the students started pelting stones, breaking glass doors, counters and signboards, besides windscreens and window panes of vehicles, police, which had reached the spot, resorted to baton charge to disperse the agitators.

Following the incident, Banihal town observed a bandh and the highway was blocked due to massive protests, which continued for several hours.

Confirming the incidents, Station House Officer (SHO) Banihal, Inspector Mohammad Afzal Wani told PTI that some students tried to snatch weapons of CRPF men, who observed restrain.

"We have foiled their bid. The situation would have turned ugly had they snatched the weapons," he said.

Notably, a motorcyclist was killed in an accident with an army vehicle on Sunday. Though police have registered an FIR and apprehended the erring driver, the locals held a demonstration and closed their establishments in protest.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)